50,000 Pairs In 50 Days Challenge

Soles4Souls is a shoe charity dedicated to helping those in need with the gift of shoes. Over the next 50 days they are hoping to purchase 50,000 pairs of shoes with the help of people like you and me. All you have to do is donate $5 and you have done your part. $5 will purchase two pairs of shoes for those in need. In addition they have made some resources available so that you can help spread the word on facebook, myspace or on your blog. So please take a moment and visit their website.

Call and Response

CALL+RESPONSE is a first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. CALL+RESPONSE goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.Next Friday, October 10th the new feature documentary film Call + Responsewill open in theaters across the U.S.

Find a theater near you and get your tickets now.

Watch the trailer to learn more:

Art, Music, Justice Tour

Sara Groves, Brandon Heath, Sandra McCracken, Charlie Peacock and Derek Webb will unite this fall to share their passion for art, music and justice through a cross-country music tour benefitting International Justice Mission and relief organization Food for the Hungry. The tour, which will run September 19 through October 26, will inspire audience members to get actively involved in the fight for justice on behalf of the poor through an integration of powerful musical performances and justice advocacy. 

See if the Art*Music*Justice tour will be coming to your city: Click here for locations and dates.

Radiohead and Human Trafficking

Check out this awareness video on human trafficking produced by MTV featuring All I Need by Radiohead. After you watch it be sure and click here to find out what Thom Yorke had to say about this video.

Cool Apparel, Great Cause

.com Tee

Want to help raise awareness on issues of injustice and look good doing it?

Please click here to order your apparel today.

All profits go directly towards the cause of Youth Against Injustice.

11 Facts About Human Trafficking

 

1. The average cost of a slave around the world in $90.
2. Trafficking primarily involves exploitation which comes in many forms, including:
   • Forcing victims into prostitution
   • Subjecting victims to slavery or involuntary servitude
   • Compelling victims to commit sex acts for the purpose of creating pornography
   • Misleading victims into debt bondage
3. According to some estimates, approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19% involves labor exploitation.
4. It is estimated that there are approximately 27 million slaves around the world.
5. Between 2001 and 2005, 140 defendants have been convicted of human trafficking in the U.S. which is a 109% increase from 1996-2000.
6. Around half of trafficking victims in the world are under the age of 18.
7. More than 2/3 of sex trafficked children suffer additional abuse at the hands of their traffickers.
8. Trafficked children are significantly more likely to develop mental health problems, abuse substances, engage in prostitution as adults, and either commit or be victimized by violent crimes later in life.
9. Women who have been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation experience a significantly higher rate of HIV and other STDs, tuberculosis, and permanent damage to their reproductive systems.
10. There is only one shelter in the U.S. designed specifically to meet the needs of trafficking victims, and it currently only houses a total of seven to nine victims.
11. Trafficking victims normally don’t get help because they think that they or their families will be hurt by their traffickers, or that they will be deported.

 

 

Sources: 
Initiative against Sexual Trafficking 
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence 
US Dept. of State 
Free the Slaves

Stats on Human Trafficking Video

Here is a video to help raise awareness on the reality and impact of human trafficking in our world today. Please feel free to share this with your friends.

Loose Change to Loosen Chains

 

Zach Hunter is a teenager that is adding his voice to the cause of justice and making a difference. He has been featured on Good Morning America and is the author of two books, Be the Change and Generation Change. Most importantly he founded the Loose Change to Loosen Change campaign which raises awareness and funds to help free those in slavery. 

Here is a little bit more about Zach in his own words:

“I’m 15 and started the campaign when I was in 7th grade. I hope you’ll join me! I founded Loose Change to Loosen Chains because I felt a need to do something to bring freedom to the victims I was learning about. LC2LC is a group of students and emerging leaders who want to see the trade in human beings stopped. Modern-day slavery may be people working in brick kilns, rice mills, fishing villages or brothels.

Together we can make a difference. Let’s abolish slavery!”

Meaningful Media: Episode 2

Here is a video featuring Emma Thompson produced for the United Nations initiative to fight human trafficking. For more information visit ungift.org.

The Cost of a Child

 

To some this is the cost of a child.

1.2 million children are trafficked each year. In parts of Asia a child can be sold for as little as $10. I pray that we will never look at a ten dollar bill the same.